10 Dazzling Modern Staircases
A staircase may perform the simple task of connecting two different floors in a building, but in fact, it can be one of the most structurally complex parts of a home. Designs can range in terms of the type of riser, style of tread and nosing, method of structural support, and material selection. Take a look at some of our favorite staircases that are beautifully executed.
A Sculptural Spiral
A sculptural white steel spiral staircase with wooden treads connects a lower level to an upper cantilevered level in this home near Potsdam, Germany, that was designed by Nps Tchoban Voss. The slim profile of the steel contrasts with the undulating curves of the powder-coated steel railing.
Reclaimed wood, weathered steel risers, wood treads, and steel rebar supports work together to create this unique staircase designed by Saigon-based architect Toan Nghiem of a21 Studio. Despite the stair's modern silhouette and use of steel, the materials collectively create a warm, inviting palette.
Slade Architecture renovated a penthouse in New York City to include this open-tread, railing-free staircase. Each cantilevered tread is supported by stainless-steel tubes. The use of aluminum on the treads keeps them feeling light and airy as they reflect light from the windowed kitchen.
Another white spiral staircase makes our list, but the emphasis here is on the voids left by the open-riser, minimalist handrail design. Designed by architect Makoto Tanijiri, the steel staircase was created to connect three interior floors of a home in Japan.
We love it when a functional stair is also packed with storage, so we immediately fell for this staircase in Koriyama, Japan, that was designed by architect Kotaro Anzai. Cabinets under stairs, or kaidan dansu—as they're called in Japan—are common in traditional Japanese architecture. The cabinets are made out of linden plywood, while the treads made out of ash.
A mixture of perforated, bent-steel plates, tension cables, and galvanized-steel handrails and posts form a modern staircase that feels light and airy, despite its industrial materials. The perforations in the steel steps and the thinness of the tension cables keep the stair feeling open and transparent. Designed by architect John DeSalvo, it was inspired by a high-end staircase by French architect Jean Nouvel.
This uniquely shaped staircase connects a main floor to a mezzanine above in an apartment in Vilnius, Lithuania, that was renovated by architect Rytis Mikulionis. The treads give the illusion of having been created from peeled-down pieces of white steel, then topped with MDF board that's been painted white.
On a triangular site in the Fitzrovia neighborhood of London, architecture firm FORMstudio created an irregularly shaped stair with treads and risers that match the wide-planked, white oak floors. A thick acrylic banister winds alongside the stair like a matte-white ribbon. Together, the white oak and acrylic have a distinctly calm, Scandinavian feel about them.
A welded-iron staircase with irregular treads sits at the center of this house in Ljubljana, Slovenia, by Dekleva Gregoric Architects. The iron treads are cut so that each step has an alternating angle, suggesting a climb that starts with the left foot, then the right. From a distance, the stair seems to form a black, angular, almost skeletal sculpture.
While many of our favorite stairs feel light and airy, the heavy, rustic simplicity of this stair is in fact what we enjoy most about it. In this small house in Tokyo, Japan, architect Koji Tsutsui embedded large pieces of Oregon pine into a concrete wall to create a minimal staircase. The pieces of wood are so large that you can count the tree rings on the sides of the treads.
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